Opposites
by Lorraine Anderson
Summary: Daniel has to stop touching things - like quantum mirrors.  A story of opposites and rebellions - printed in 2009 in Our Favorite Things #25.


OPPOSITES

By Lorraine Anderson

"Why in the world would they put a fun-house mirror in a temple?" Jack said, He waggled his eyebrows at his image, which waggled back. "It makes me look fat."

"Hmm…" Daniel said, as what Jack said registered in his brain. He grinned. "Too many Froot Loops?" He glanced at Jack in the mirror. "Doesn't look fat to me." He looked back to the glyphs around the mirror. "This says that this is the mirror of opposites."

"The mirror of opposites. Is that why I look fat?"

Daniel ignored him. "It's a variant of Egyptian."

"Isn't everything?"

Daniel sat back. "Well, no, there's the Sumerians, the Indians, the Danish, the English… Yu's people… shall I go on?"

Jack was looking distinctly bored. "Um, no." He waved around. "Why are you getting so excited about a mirror?"

"I'm not."

"Then why study it?"

Daniel shrugged. "Well, it's the only thing here archeologically interesting."

"Yeah? It's the only building around, so why is that…"

"I'm biding time while waiting for Sam and Teal'C to do their Naquadah survey."

"You're bored?" Jack's incredulous look settled into smug knowledge. "Welcome to the club."

"Don't rub it in." Daniel reached out to touch the glyphs.

"Ah, Ah, ah. What have I said to you about touching things?"

Daniel looked at the ceiling while his knuckles touched the mirror. He rolled his eyes. "It's a mirror, Jack. Glass never hurt anything."

"Unless it's broken."

"O'Neill."

Jack grabbed his walkie-talkie. "Tell me we're done here. Daniel keeps touching things."

"We are finished, O'Neill."

"Finally."

Daniel looked at the mirror again. "I have enough pictures, anyway." He straightened up. "Let's go."

"No 'one more hour'?"

Daniel sighed. "Not this time."

They walked silently back through the forest towards the Stargate, waiting in a small clearing for Sam and Teal'C. "Anything?"

Sam looked enthusiastic. "We have a great source of Naquada, sir." They walked further through the woods, then Jack stopped in front of Daniel.

Daniel looked around. They were nowhere near the Stargate. "Is there something wrong?"

Sam and Teal'C crowded around Daniel, and transport rings sprang up. When they materialized, Daniel found himself in the transport room of a Goa'uld ship. "Why, no, Daniel. Should there be?" Jack said, as the combination of Jaffa and Stargate personnel saluted Jack.

A door opened, and a portly man came in the room. "How was the mission, people?," Hammond said.

"We found a terrific source of Naquada, sir," Sam said, her face lighting up.

"Good. Good. We'll have a meeting with our Lord Apophis in…" he looked at his watch. "… a half and hour. Freshen up, people."

"Thank you, sir," Jack said. "Watching Daniel touch things always puts me in a cold sweat." He made a point of sniffing his armpits.

Hammond smiled.

Daniel hoped his emotions weren't showing on his face. He touched the mirror.

He really had to make it a point in the future to listen to Jack.

#

He really had to make it a point in the future to listen to Jack. When they hadn't stopped for the transport rings, Daniel had wondered, but they had headed for the Chappa'ai – the Stargate, Jack had persisted in calling the ring – so he thought maybe Jack had had some further orders from Apophis that Daniel hadn't know about. It wouldn't have been the first time. Although he trusted his Lord Apophis, sometimes his ways were inscrutable and sometimes seemed – heretical thought – almost cruel. But he knew that service to his Lord now would ensure himself paradise in the afterlife, and perhaps even paradise in this life. He sighed, thinking of the servant girl Sha're, hoping that his Lord would eventually grant the boon he had asked many years ago. He knew Sha're felt the same way.

Yet he he had gone through the Chappa'ai to find himself in this strange bunker. His Lord Hammond had approached them, and his forehead was bare. Jack had called him a General – which was basically his title as Jaffa in the service of Apophis – but this man was obviously not a Jaffa.

The mirror. The mirror was obviously a Quantum mirror, like the mirror that had sent him into a different alternate reality. But while his last adventure through a quantum mirror sent him to a reality where he could defend his Lord Apophis from some rebel Jaffa, this was obviously something quite different.

It was fortunate that his work clothes were like the people of this strange reality. Until he could study this place more, he decided to stay as quiet as possible -

"Daniel?"

"Jack?" he said without thinking.

Jack shrugged. "You seem rather quiet. Did you hear the General about the debriefing?"

"Oh. No."

"Half an hour."

"All right." He glanced around the room, wondering where he was supposed to go.

The rest of the team had headed off. "You coming with us?" Jack said.

"Yeah." He rubbed his hand on his forehead. "Just tired, I guess."

"Don't let Doc Fraser let you say that."

"Janet?"

"Daniel?"

Daniel realized again that he needed to keep his mouth shut. "Sorry, Jack. I guess I'm more tired than I thought."

"Well, c'mon, then."

#

"Well, c'mon then."

As Daniel followed Jack through the halls of the ha'tak, he realized that, oddly enough, the doors were labeled. They were labeled in ancient Egyptian – not surprising – but he had never, in his limited experience, seen a labeled ha'tak before. Moreover, not only were they labeled, the layout was so similar to Stargate command that he was certain he could find his way to his lab without any fumbling. Presuming he had a lab here. The de-briefing room? Probably in a similar place.

So the "Lord" Hammond had requested a debriefing. What exactly he was going to say, he wasn't sure. Not the whole truth, at least, but a truth. There wasn't anything spectacular on the planet but a building and a mirror.

So how did this reality happen? How could the Earth end up under the rule of the Goa'uld, seemingly happy and healthy?

Or were they?

Sam and Teal'C could dissemble with the best of them, but Jack? Or had the Jack in this reality learned some tact in the presence of the Goa'uld?

Well, he wasn't going to find any questions until he could get to his lab.

They divested themselves of their weapons. He hadn't noticed until undressing that along with their traditional weapons, Jack also carried an odd sort of zat gun, and Teal'C, along with his staff weapon, had a knife in his boot. He raised his eyebrows slightly, then followed the rest to the debriefing room.

They seated themselves with Hammond at the read of the table. Daniel found himself looking at Hammond's gold forehead tattoo, then at Teal'C's equally golden one. So was Teal'C Apophis's first prime, or was Hammond? Or was there such a thing?

Jack talked, then Sam. If he hadn't known better, this could be a debriefing in his own reality. He sat, bemused.

Suddenly he realized that Hammond was talking to him. "I'm sorry, sir."

"I said, was there any sign of occupation."

"None, sir." He hoped. "The only thing we found was an old building, long abandoned."

"Good. Good. No complications, then."

Daniel tried not to look puzzled. "No, sir."

"Very well. Get some rest, people. We have the go ahead, we're going to Kelowna tomorrow."

"Some action, sir?" Jack said.

"You got it. Apophis has decreed that the rebellion must be suppressed and the Kelownans should be under his protection."

"'bout time," Jack said. For the first time, he saw unholy enthusiasm on his teammate's faces. "I never did like that Jonas."

"Pacifist," Sam spat.

Daniel tried to school his face into what his team was showing.

"We will work in the honor of our Lord Apophis," Jack said. He stood up and saluted, as did the rest of their teammates.

"Honor!" they repeated. They left the de-briefing room, each splitting off a different direction. Daniel headed toward where he thought his lab should be, deep in thought. He had to find out where their realities had split. He hoped he had a good computer. Barely noticing what he was doing, he opened the door…

"Well, son, welcome back! How was your mission?" The couple looked up from their respective computers.

Daniel went pale. "Mom? Dad?"

#

Daniel opened the door where he hoped his lab would be. It was empty, and he felt slightly disappointed. Sometimes he hated working with his parents, but most of the time, they accomplished great things for his Lord Apophis. Maybe they were away. He couldn't imagine the lab without them.

He closed the door and looked around. "What is this?" The books were familiar, but the lab was filled with – junk. It was all old Egyptian rubbish that he could buy in any market. Why would his counterpart have this stuff?

Maybe he had better do some reading.

#

"Danny? Are you all right? You look like you've seen a ghost." His mother came up to him, feeling his forehead. Her touch was soft.

"Um… I was concentrating. I guess I didn't expect to see you here."

His father smiled. "Our mission was postponed. How was yours?"

"Boring." Or it would have been if he hadn't touched the Quantum Mirror. "What were you going to do again?"

"We were being sent to Kelowna." She shrugged. "I was told we'd be sent tomorrow." She turned to his father. "I'm looking forward to talking with him again."

His father nodded, smiling.

Daniel furrowed his brow. "Kelowna? Jonas? Really?" He shook his head. "The whole ha'tak is going to Kelowna."

Melburn looked at him. "You look as you disapprove. And, as I recall, you don't like Jonas."

Daniel shrugged. "Um… he's a pacifist, but he's all right."

He saw Melburn look sharply at Claire.

"Son, what are we really doing at Kelowna tomorrow?"

Daniel couldn't help but compress his lips. "We're invading."

Claire walked toward him. "How do you feel about that?" She laid her hand on his arm. "You know, I can always tell when you lie."

Daniel looked at her.

"Melburn?"

"I didn't think that that stuff could wear…"

Daniel's mouth dropped open. "… that stuff could wear off. Nish'ta."

"Um…" his father said.

Daniel looked around the lab. "Goa'uld surveillance in here?"

"No."

"Thank God." He looked at his parents… the other Daniel's parents… and hoped he could trust them.. "Um… are you familiar with the concept of a… a… quantum mirror?"

Their mouths dropped open, and they stared at him. "You're not our Daniel, are you?"

"No."

"Our Daniel was accidentally sent to a close reality. He reported that instead of serving Apophis, we served Ra, but we were helping Apophis " Melburn shuddered. "Ra gives me the creeps."

Daniel smiled slightly, then sobered. "Agreed. But this is not a close reality for me."

"Really?"

"Well let's start with this. When was Earth's Stargate discovered?"

Claire looked at Melburn. "Daniel. We've always had a Stargate."

#

Daniel sat back from his computer, staggered. The Stargate was buried? It wasn't discovered until the 1940s? How could this be? Moreover, how could Lord Ra let that happen? And where was his Lord Apophis?

He searched some more, until he saw the file titled "Apophis death." He opened it and watched the video. "No." He sat back, shocked.

"Daniel?"

"Gods cannot die."

"Daniel?"

Daniel looked up to see Jack standing in the doorway. He smiled. "Um… just thinking out loud."

"'Gods cannot die.'" Jack snorted. "I don't think so."'

"Why are you here?"

Jack pointed at his wristwatch. "I figured I better drag you out of your lab for dinner."

Seems that some things didn't change. "Oh. Guess I am hungry."

"Yeah. I can hear your stomach over here." Daniel closed out the window on his computer,

They walked down the hall. "Jack? Can I ask you what you think of my parents?"

Jack's eyebrows came together. "That's an odd question."

"So? I've been wondering."

"Daniel, I didn't know them. Why would I form an opinion about them?" He was silent for a moment, and Daniel digested that statement. So they didn't work here? Wait a minute, Jack used the past tense, so he wasn't entirely surprised when Jack said. "I think it stinks that they died when you were so young."

Daniel suppressed the shock he felt, even though he was expecting something like this. "Yeah," was the only thing he could say.

His parents, dead. But they weren't, not really. He had just seen them this morning.

Were there any Goa'uld in this reality, and how could he get hold of them?

"Daniel?"

"Jack?"

"Are you with me?"

Daniel exhaled. "Just tired, I guess."

"You used that excuse before. Why don't you take a nap?"

They entered the cafeteria, and Daniel took the lead to the food. "You know – that is truly disgusting."

Jack screwed up his face. "Why do you think I eat so many Froot Loops?"

Fruit loops? Daniel shrugged. Apophis had fruit, but nothing called fruit loops. Sounded odd. He looked over the selection. Beef something, fish something, sandwiches, one that looked like egg…. "I'll take that."

The worker threw on a bag of chips. Daniel turned it over and looked at the ingredients. Hmm… potatoes. "Any fruit juice?"

The worker pointed over to the dispenser and glanced at Jack, who shrugged. He went over to a table while Daniel fumbled with the dispenser.

Daniel joined Jack at the table. "Having Ascension flashbacks?" Jack said, staring at Daniel.

Daniel shrugged. Ascension. He had heard of ascension, and apparently this Daniel had done it? And came back. His Lord Apophis would be interested, especially since Anubis was apparently attempting to do that very thing.

"Oma got your tongue?"

Daniel winced. Coming here with Jack was a mistake, but he didn't know how he could have gotten out of it. "In a weird place, I guess."

"You're always in a weird place." Jack yawned. "Well, I guess I'm a bit tired, too. Don't suppose we caught something on that planet?"

"Janet would have caught it if we did." He hoped. This Janet had to deal with less advanced equipment. Needles? Stethoscopes? A little more advanced than his neighborhood in New York, he supposed, but not much.

They ate the rest of the meal in silence, Daniel being careful to act tired. As far as he could tell, there were no Goa'uld on this version of Earth. How had Earth survived? He had to correct this. But how?

#

"How?" Daniel's mouth dropped open. "You've always had a Stargate?"

"You haven't?"

"Ours was buried and capped. Ra went away, as did the other Goa'uld. We haven't encountered Goa'uld until a few years ago." He looked cautiously at the other Daniel's parents. "We've been fighting them ever since."

"Really." Melburn looked thoughtful.

"Daniel, what are we in your reality?" Claire said.

"You were archeologists."

Claire looked at Melburn, rueful. "Dead, again."

Melburn looked at Claire. "Can I talk to you a moment?" He turned to Daniel. "Excuse us."

"I'll be at the door."

He saw them turn to the back wall, so that even if he watched, he couldn't read their lips. He grinned ruefully. Even in the evil empire universe, his parents knew him too well.

They turned toward him and motioned him back there. "I'm hoping I can trust you, son." Melburn said.

Daniel raised his eyebrows. "I think you can."

"We are a part of the Rebel Alliance."

Daniel snorted. "Rebel Alliance?" he said with a grin. His grin faded as they stared at him. "I'm sorry, there's a popular movie – entertainment on my earth - that uses the term Rebel Alliance. In fact, it's called 'Star Wars'."

"Daniel," his mother said.

"Sorry. So – not everybody is thrilled with the Goa'uld."

"There's been a movement ever since Hitler was joined." Melburn looked disgusted.

"Hitler's a…"

"You know Hitler?" Claire said.

"Madman, mass murderer, other fun things? Oh, yeah. He killed himself 50-some years ago when the Allied Forces were closing on his position."

"Lucky you. We met him last year. Nasty man, even nastier Goa'uld," Claire said.

Daniel tried to imagine all of the mass murderers and creepy characters of history as Goa'uld and failed. "Can you make me a copy of your history?"

Melburn looked at Claire, who shrugged. "Certainly."

"But I think we had better concentrate on the here and now. How widespread is your rebellion?"

"All of SG1 except for Teal'c are a part of it, including Hammond. And we're about ready to mobilize," Melburn said

"Really. They looked a little – bloodthirsty the last time I saw them."

"There's a reason for that," Claire said. "And Janet is one of us."

"Ok. Do you have Tok'ra?"

"Against Ra?" Melburn said.

"Good Goa'uld."

"Oh. Yeah, a few." Melburn looked thoughtful. "I guess they did use that term once."

"And you're telling me… why?"

Melburn sighed. "In order to bring our Daniel back and you back where you belong, we're going to have to somehow get back to the mirror planet."

"Yeah."

"But we're going to Kelowna."

"And?"

"Kelowna is a rebel planet. We can't let you go into that! We have to get you back." Daniel put his hand on both of their shoulders. "Melburn. Claire. I've been fighting Goa'uld for years. It would be my pleasure to help."

They pulled him in a hug. As Daniel pulled back, his eyes filled with tears. Claire held his shoulders. "Daniel. How long ago did they die?"

"I was eight. An accident. I saw it."

Her eyes welled. "Oh, Daniel. I'm so sorry."

"And I suppose your grandfather was off finding crystal skulls," Melburn said.

"Yeah. I was raised by a series of foster parents." Daniel paused. "But Nick was right."

"The giant aliens?"

"I saw them."

Melburn shook his head. "And I thought your father was a crackpot," he said to Claire.

"Well. What do you need me to do?"

They told him. His eyes widened.

#

His eyes widened. How could they not have a Goa'uld transmitter? He stepped back and looked into the armory. Zat'ni'katels**,** fine. Staff weapons, ok. Some projectile weapons. Perhaps Sam's laboratory? He grabbed a zat, put it in his pocket, and walked past the guards he had knocked out. Shame about them, but they should be fine later.

He walked down the hall to Sam's laboratory. The door was open. She looked up. "Oh, hi, Daniel."

He leaned against the door. "Don't you ever sleep? Jack went to bed an hour ago."

Sam smiled. "I could say the same for you."

"I'm doing some… research."

She looked surprised. "Which brings you to my lab?"

He walked in further. "I was restless." The klaxons started. "Damn."

"Daniel?"

He pulled the zat out of his pocket and aimed it at Sam. "I can't wait any longer. Where's your Goa'uld equipment?"

Sam stood up, her eyes wide. "Area 51. And you're not Daniel, are you?"

He laughed bitterly. "Oh, yes, I'm Daniel."

"How?" She looked down. "There was a mirror down on that planet. It was a quantum mirror. But how could you switch in front of the Colonel?" She looked away. "Unless he switched…"

A zat blast hit Daniel. "I don't think so, Carter." He looked down at Daniel, an odd look on his face. "I knew something odd was going on with him. Let's get him to the infirmary and tie him down."

#

Daniel felt like he was hit with a zat blast. "Oh, no, I'm not taking that stuff. How in the world could you do that to your son?"

Claire smiled slightly. "He volunteered. Sam and Jack and our Daniel are all part of the resistance."

"And they're all doped with nish'ta?"

"Actually, it's a more potent form of nish'ta, one that doesn't disappear each time a person is zatted. But they have to be dosed. If they're not completely sincere, Apophis will know."

"I think you give him too much credit." He shook his head.

"When the time was right, we would say the code words and the rebellion would start."

"And when would the time ever be right?"

"Soon," came a voice from the door.

Daniel jumped. "Master Bra'tac!"

"Daniel." He looked at Melburn and Claire. "You should be more cautious with the door." He closed it behind him. "How did he come out of it?"

"He was never in. This is not our Daniel," Melburn said.

Bra'tac raised his eyebrows. "I… see. Another quantum mirror."

"He comes from an Earth where the Goa'uld were driven out."

Daniel held up a finger. "In fact, our Stargate – Chappa'ai was buried and we had forgotten all about the Goa'uld." He grinned ruefully. "Until we uncapped it and learned how to use it a few years ago. We have been fighting the Goa'uld for years."

Bra'tac smiled. "That is good. I am glad for your reality." His smile faded. " But this is unfortunate for you. We have arrived at Kelowna."

"And I'm expected to help quell the rebellion." He turned a stricken face to Melburn and Claire. "I can't shoot innocent people."

"If you don't go, the rebellion will be for naught." Bra'tac said.

"Maybe not," Claire said thoughtfully.

"We were to wait for Easter next month," Bra'tac said.

"Easter?"

"The celebration of the Son," Melburn said.

Daniel closed his eyes. "Ok," he muttered. "From Star Wars to Star Trek." He opened his eyes. "The Son of God, right?"

"The Goa'uld have maintained that Jesus was a rebel Tok'ra, but we believe that there is a higher power that raised the Son of God from the dead."

Daniel rubbed his mouth, his eyes wide. "Definitely Star Trek. Explains a lot."

"You do have a Jesus, right?"

"We do." He looked at his parents. "You definitely have to record your history before I go."

"Anyway," Claire said. "Master Bra'tac, we have everyone in place. Why not start the rebellion early?"

"Who's the head of the Rebel Alliance? Don't you have to ask?" Daniel asked.

Claire blushed. "We are."

"Oh." Daniel blinked.

#

Daniel blinked.

"Janet, I think he's coming out of it," Jack said.

Daniel blinked again, then his head arched back, and he started grunting. He was going…

"His heart's stopped!" he heard as his hearing faded.

… then he woke up in bed, his arms and legs tied down. He searched inside himself. It was gone. The influence of the nish'ta was gone. He opened his eyes and looked at Janet, who was bending over him, with the stethoscope. "How did you do that?"

Janet smiled. "What?"

"You didn't know the code word. The influence of the nish'ta wasn't supposed to go away without the code word."

"Nish'ta," Jack appeared in his line of site. "Carter, what is he talking about?"

"I don't know, sir.'

"Doctor, is this our Daniel or not?"

"I don't think so, sir." Janet shook her head. "Unless you encountered something that took away his appendectomy scar."

"The zat blast couldn't have brought me out of the influence. I would need to die."

"You were dead," Sam pointed out.

"And you brought me back. Do you have a sarcophagus?"

Janet smiled. "No, just a huge electric shock." She pointed at the defibrillator machine.

Daniel closed his eyes. "That would do it. We don't have such a thing. Primitive."

"This primitive person saved your ass," Jack said.

Daniel smiled at Janet. "And I am grateful."

"Are you?" Jack said. "You were going to shoot Carter."

He looked at Jack. "I was under the influence of the nish'ta."

"And why were you under the influence of the nish'ta?"

Daniel sat his head back and looked at the ceiling. "Let me explain…"

A few minutes later, Jack stepped back. "This sounds like a bad episode of Star Trek."

"Or Star Wars," Teal'c said, stepping into Daniel's view.

"Have you been back there all the time?" Daniel said.

"Indeed."

"And I thought our Teal'C was sneaky." He looked at Teal'C. "I take it you're not in service of my Lor… of Apophis."

"Apophis was a false god. I left his service long before he died."

"I see." He looked at Teal'C "I wonder…."

"Yours is loyal."

"I thought so. Maybe not." He tested his bonds. "I need to get back before your Daniel gets in trouble."

An alarmed look came over Jack's face, and a sort of acceptance. "I'm sure he's already in trouble."

"Didn't you say," Sam said, "that the Ha'tak was leaving the planet?"

"Oh. Yeah. I thought so, anyway."

"So. Presuming that our Daniel was aboard that ship, you can't go home until they return."

"But I would like to try. I'm afraid he might accidentally betray my parents."

Jack shook his head. "Hold it. Your parents?"

"The leaders of the rebellion."

#

"Ok, this is just too weird."

Bra'tac looked at him sympathetically. "You don't think your parents wouldn't do the same thing?"

Daniel looked at them. "I don't know. They died when I was eight."

"Ah."

He shook his head. "Never mind. Master Bra'tac, you said they were ready to go to Kelowna?"

"I did."

"Is Jonas part of your rebellion?"

Melburn shrugged. "No." He looked thoughtful. "I don't know. We deliberately don't know anybody beyond a select few."

"He's a good guy. I think I can talk to him. And can you trust me with your code word?"

"I think so. 'Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore. Oz.'"

"Huh?"

"That's the code word. Or the code phrase, so to speak."

"Have you read 'The Wizard of Oz.'" They looked blank. "L. Frank Baum?"

"Never heard of him."

"Where did you get that phrase from, then?"

"Toto was a Tok'ra. Kansas was a former base. Oz was the new base."

"Jack… my Jack… would love it." He shook his head. "But I'm digressing. Master Bra'tac?"

"Daniel. This is not your fight," Master Bra'tac said.

"Sha're, my wife, was taken over by a Goa'uld. This may not be my dimension, but it is my fight. Please, lead on, Master."

"Just a second." Claire swiftly walked to the pair and hugged Daniel fiercely. "You may not be of my flesh, but you are my son." She pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil. "Here's a couple of other useful phrases." She started writing.

Melburn laid a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck."

Daniel found his eyes stinging. "Thank you." He took the paper from Claire, stored it, and followed Bra'tac.

#

Daniel followed Jack into the office and looked curiously at Hammond. "We can trust him?"

"Yeah!" He turned to Hammond. "Yes, sir."

Hammond smiled slightly. "I've been informed that you are from an alternate universe. I take it that your General Hammond is in the service of the Goa'uld?"

"Apophis has many Second Primes. My Lord Hammond is one. Teal'c is the first Prime."

Jack made a strangled noise.

"Jack? You have something to add?"

Jack looked curiously at Hammond. "I'm trying to imagine a gold tattoo on your forehead. Sir."

Hammond shuddered and rubbed his forehead. "Me, too."

Daniel looked at him. "You do look better without it, sir."

"Thank you son. I think." He looked at Daniel. "The fact is… that everybody has seemed to forgotten… we do have some powerful enemies. What assurance do we have that you haven't been substituted by, possibly, a clone?"

"Sir, Daniel was never out of my sight." He looked to one side. "Or so I thought. I haven't quite figured this out."

General Hammond lifted a sheet. "And I have Doctor Fraser's assurance that you have the original's DNA, with an appendix." He lifted another sheet. "And her belief that this man is not a clone, although she admits final test results are not in. And Major Carter assures me that he is not from this dimension."

"Sir?"

"Then why did I question him? To see his reaction. He was surprised, then thoughtful when I suggested the clone. Not shocked"

Daniel felt confused. "My reaction, sir?" He looked away. "My Hammond is a good judge of human nature. This was partially why I was, along with Jack and Sam, under the influence of the nish'ta."

"Whoa. Our counterparts, too?"

"Of course."

"How are we fighting the Goa'uld if we're under the influence of a drug?"

"That's why my parents are there. We've worked for years to get close to Apophis and the other system lords. We're about ready to implement that plan. All teams will be brought back to normal by a series of code words." He looked at Jack, then at Hammond. "As far as that goes, this might be a trick to get our code words."

"OUR Daniel was never that suspicious."

"Our Daniel was never raised under the threat of the Goa'uld." Hammond said.

"No," Jack grimaced. "Just foster parents."

"Anyway," Hammond said. "We don't need the code words."

Daniel felt relieved. "Wouldn't mean much to you anyway."

"Probably not," Jack said.

"My… General, I do have a request. I would like a copy of a history book to take back with me."

"Wouldn't that be rather risky to take back to your universe?"

Daniel shrugged. "I have been know to read fantastic fiction."

Jack looked at him. "Star Trek? Star Wars?"

"Huh?" Daniel looked at him. "Never heard of those. Ever heard of 'Anne of Green Gables?'"

"What?" Jack shook his head.

"Hammond chuckled. "I have. A plucky Canadian red-headed orphan?"

"And minimum Goa'uld influence, except of course, for the church of Apophis."

"Of course," Jack said

"Instead of Presbyterians and Methodists, there's the church of Apophis and the church of Ba'al," Hammond said.

"Ra, actually."

"Sir, how do you know about this?"

"Granddaughters, Jack."

"Oh."

"I think we can send a few history books with you. And a few fiction books."

"Sir, send them some Star Wars and Star Trek. And maybe the Wizard."

"Done."

"Then we're free to go to the planet?"

"Whenever you're prepared. SG-1 and SG-3 will accompany you."

The Klaxon went off. "Off-world activation!" blared the voice of Sergeant Harriman.

Hammond glanced at Jack and Daniel, then moved quickly to the control room. They met Teal'c and Carter, who was already sitting in a control chair. "Radio signal coming through." The sergeant looked up. "Sir, it's Jonas Quinn."

"Put it on loudspeaker, Walter." Harriman pressed a button. "Mr. Quinn, this is General Hammond. What can we do for you?"

"General. I apologize for calling. May I come through?"

"Of course, son." He motioned for the iris to be opened. "Is there anything wrong?"

"I'll tell you when I come through." A moment later, he appeared on the platform, smiling.

"He looks a lot different than the Jonas I've met," Daniel said.

#

Daniel rounded a corner in an alley and bumped into a man. He backed off and raised his zat automatically. The man cringed back and raised his hands over his face. "Jonas?"

He lowered his hands fractionally. "You're Daniel Jackson from my Lord Apophis' service."

Daniel winced. "Sort of. You look a lot different from the Jonas I know." He stared for a minute, then said. "I've come to see the Wizard."

"The wonderful wizard?"

"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." Daniel looked Jonas up and down.

Jonas' eyes widened. "You're on our side?"

"It's a long story, but, yes, I always was. And – I'm sort of an alternate universe version of your Daniel."

"How do I know this isn't a trick?"

Daniel handed him his zat. "You don't."

Jonas inspected it, then handed it back. He lowered his head, and Daniel caught a flash in his eyes. Goa'uld! Automatically, Daniel brought up his zat. As he raised his head, Jonas said. "That will not be necessary. I am Selmak of the Tok'ra. Alternate universe?"

Daniel cocked his head to one side. "Selmak? How in the world did you get here?"

"My former host died here not too long ago" It was Jonas – Selmak's turn to look puzzled. "You know me?"

"In my universe, Sam's father, Jacob Carter, is Selmak's host."

"Ah. I believe Mr. Carter is undercover on Lord Yu's ha'tak as a slave."

"He's alive?" Daniel shook his head. "But didn't he have cancer?"

"Yu deemed him too valuable. Jacob, too, is under the influence of the nish'ta." Selmak lowered his head. "It's really too dangerous to have Selmak talk."

"Understood." Daniel looked up and down the alley. "If you were in the alliance, my parents – the prince and princess - wanted to send you a message."

"Really?"

"'The hour has chimed twelve.'"

"In other words, the rebellion has started." Jonas sighed. " Your parent's are awfully fond of code phrases."

Daniel shrugged. "Comes with the territory. You know them?"

"Selmak did." He sighed. "When?"

"Here? Now. Everybody else? As soon as the message can spread. The rebellion was going to start at Easter,"

Jonas smiled and shook his head. "Easter?"

"'The resurrection of the Son of God." Jonas looked blank. "A Tau'ri-based faith. Nothing to do with the Goa'uld."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Tell me more someday." He stepped away down the alley.

"Where're you going?"

Jonas turned around and beckoned him. "I don't exactly have telepathy, you know. I'm going for the radio to let my people know the revolution is on. I'm also part of the sub-station of networks for the rest of the galaxy."

Daniel shut his mouth. "Oh. Stupid me."

"It might help if you would march me through the streets until we get where we're going."

Daniel hesitated. "Do you really need me?"

Jonas looked at him. "I could use some protection, just in case some of your people haven't heard."

A large shadow loomed over them. "Daniel. Do you require assistance with this man.?"

Daniel looked up at Teal'C, tensing his grip on his zat. I wonder… "Teal'C. How is Ry'ac?"

Teal'C narrowed his eyes.

"I know of Ry'ac, and no, Apophis didn't tell me. But I'll bet Apophis guarantees their safety and well-being for your service."

Teal'C looked suspicious. "Indeed. But you should not know that."

Jonas was staring daggers at Daniel, and Daniel ignored him. "I have sources. What if you didn't have to rely on Apophis for their protection?"

"I have always preferred to protect them myself."

"Have you ever met Lord Yu?"

Jonas raised his eyebrows, looking at Daniel.

"Indeed. His First Prime attempts to protect him, but Yu is senile." He looked at Daniel. "I have never heard of a senile God." He looked away at a building. "I have longed for the death of Apophis."

Jonas looked surprised.

"Then let us go."

He stared at them, then turned away. "I have not seen you with this man." He strode away, purpose in his stride.

Jonas stared at Teal'C, then at Daniel. "How did you know?"

"In my world, Teal'C renounced Apophis years ago. He fights with us against the Goa'uld for the eventual freedom of the Jaffa."

"But… the Goa'uld symbiotes. There's not enough Tok'ra for the Jaffa."

"There's a way around that. We've developed a medicine. Tritonin,"

Jonas shook his head. "I wish I could see your world."

They heard screams, opposite from the direction that Teal'C had gone. Teal'C ran back by them, sparing them a glance. Daniel and Jonas looked at each other. "I'll go," Daniel said, "you get the word out."

Jonas ran down an alley and disappeared. Daniel shook his head – his Jonas, from what he'd been told, wasn't nearly as sneaky – but then again, his Jonas wasn't joined with Selmak.

He ran towards the screaming, then ducked behind a trash can, watching troops gun down civilians. "Oh, shit. Ba'al."

#

"Lord Ba'al," Daniel said, with a fearful tone.

Jonas looked at him, a wrinkle between his eyes.

"Daniel," Jack said. "If you're going to have a revolution. You can't keep referring them by titles."

Jonas raised his eyebrows.

"This isn't our Daniel," Hammond said. "He's from another dimension."

"Oh." He still looked confused. "A quantum mirror?"

"Yeah."

Daniel was staring at Jonas. "Selmak?"

Jonas and Jack looked at him. "Selmak's with Jacob Carter," Jack said.

"Oh. In my universe, Selmak's blended with Jonas."

Jack shivered. "Ok. Let's get off that subject." He turned to Jonas, "Why do you think that Ba'al's on your planet?"

"Well, I don't remember ever seeing him, but from your description… this man has come out of no-place and is suddenly buying up a number of businesses."

"That really doesn't sound like a Goa'uld, son" Hammond said. Teal'C walked in, smiling at Jonas.

"Did you hear what we just said?" Jack said, while Jonas and Teal'C shook hands.

"Indeed. That does not sound like a Goa'uld. They usually go for the more direct route."

Jack's eyes looked haunted. "Like torture."

"Oh, Jack, he didn't. You, too?" Daniel said.

"He did." Teal'C said, when Jack didn't answer.

"If, however," Jonas said, "he's been studying the Tau'ri…"

"He might determine the best way to world domination is through it's industries," Hammond said.

"And he's using Langara as his test site."

"So what can we do?"

"Could you come back with me, bring pictures, and testify about Ba'al?"

"Um," Jack said.

"The Chappa'ai is not the secret on Langara as it is on your planet."

"Well, yes, I know. It just goes against the grain. But what are you going to do to him: eject him as an illegal alien? Throw a naquadria bomb at him?"

"Well, we don't have quite the population of Earth, but we are close. I don't think that Ba'al has the resources to take us over, except from within." He looked at Jack. "And we just about did that to ourselves. I suspect that it is why very few Goa'uld try for the Tau'ri."

"Well, they could shoot the hell out of us, then take over," Jack said.

"Waste of resources. Especially now with few and fewer Goa'uld."

"They're shooting themselves in the foot," Jack nodded.

"Eating their young," Jonas corrected.

"'Shooting themselves in the foot' is a Tau'ri proverb," Teal'C said.

"Oh."

Jack inclined his head. "Good point. He may be evil, but he's not stupid enough to waste his resources. Now Ra was stupid."

Daniel looked at him. "It sounds like you admire Ba'al."

"Daniel. He tortured me. Multiple times. And kept bringing me back. Don't you…" His face shifted. "Oh. I forgot."

"No, I didn't. He tortured my Jack, also."

Jack turned to General Hammond. "Do you agree?"

"I do," he said, turning to Daniel. "But there is the matter of the switched Daniels."

"I would rather make sure that Ba'al gets out of Kelowna - Langara," Daniel said.

"But will our Daniel be all right?"

Daniel grimaced. "I somehow doubt that your Daniel has made it back to the planet yet." He felt a chill go over him. He doubted if they realized quite how dangerous his universe was, and he hoped that their faith in their Daniel was justified. "I think I can make a side-trip to Kelowna."

#

Ba'al's troops were decimating the surround area. Daniel's first instinct was to go out, all guns going, his second kept him where he was… that he'd be of more use later. He felt a motion behind him, and turned suddenly, his zat out.

Jack reached out and pushed the gun down. "Good instincts." He looked at the square. "Ba'al." he spat out.

"Ba'al."

"What's he doing here? This is our Lord Apophis' territory!" Sam spat, coming up beside Jack.

Daniel looked at them, and decided that he needed real allies and quoted the code words.

Jack blinked and shook his head. Sam looked wide-eyed at Daniel. "You're not supposed to know that." He looked at Sam. "Heck, I'm not supposed to know that. Your parents were supposed to bring us out of the nish'ta."

"Is the revolution on, then?" Sam asked.

Daniel decided to skip the whole alternate universe story. He nodded. "My… parents agree."

"Teal'C."

Daniel started to answer, then noticed that Teal'C had materialized by his side. "We should stop Ba'al," Jack said, looking at Teal'C. "This is… My Lord Apophis' world."

Teal'C looked at Daniel. "Have you thought about what I said?" Daniel said.

"Indeed."

"Are you with the revolution?"

"If I were not, you would have been dead where you are."

Daniel blinked. "Good point." Another figure dropped beside them. "Jonas. That didn't take long."

"The word is out," Selmak said.

"You, too?" Jack said. He blinked. "You're in the rebellion?"

"Can we table this? People are dying here," Daniel said. He looked at the tableau. "But I really don't want to do a Butch Cassidy." He saw four sets of eyes staring at him. "Where they came out shooting and…" Ooops, wrong universe. "Never mind."

"Our forces are being mobilized here as we speak," Selmak said.

An army of serpent guards marched into the other side of the square. "Um… not those people," Jonas said. They fired into Ba'al's forces, then went into hand to hand combat. Apophis strode in behind them and marched up to Ba'al.

"Family reunion?" Jack said caustically. They couldn't hear what was being said, but the two were arguing quite violently.

"This planet is mine. No, this planet is mine," murmured Sam.

Gunshots rang out into the square. "Here are our people," Jonas said

"And archers?" Daniel said, bemusedly.

"What else is there to penetrate a Goa'uld shield?" Daniel watched as an arrow penetrated Apophis' neck, then, as Ba'al whirled around, another arrow hit him in the back. Both dropped to the ground.

The square was suddenly still.

SG1 stood up. Jack started forward, but Jonas pushed him back and went into the center of the square, his arms up. He thrust his fist into the air at all four corners of the square, and a roar went up. Then he gestured at the SG1 at the side of the square. "Neither one of our false Gods are dead," he shouted, his voice projecting. "As one of those who were supposed to have the honors, would you?"

Daniel shook his head. Jack went up to Ba'al. "Apophis' toadie," Ba'al rumbled from the ground. He attempted to get up and failed. "I still find great pleasure from the memories that day I captured you."

"Well, I don't." Teal'C held Ba'al's shoulders while Jack removed Ba'al's shields, then stood back while Jack looked at him. "This is too good for you." He zatted him three times, and Ba'al disappeared. A roar came from the crowd.

Apophis looked scared as Teal'C stood over him. Daniel noted the angle of the arrow, and decided that the Goa'uld was probably already dead. He knelt down. "Your nightmare is over," he whispered, in ancient Egyptian.

He nodded. "Thank you," he said in the same language. "I am almost dead already. I will gladly join my wife and children." He looked at Teal'C.

Daniel gently removed his shield. "

"Apophis, I expose you for the false God that you are," Teal'C shouted.

The man on the ground seemed to smile slightly as he was zatted out of existence.

"What," Jack said, "was that?"

"That was the host."

"But the host dies…"

Daniel shook his head. "No. But both of their hosts would have been gone shortly anyway. A Goa'uld generally releases toxins when they die. Don't feel guilty."

"How did you know that?" Sam said.

"I'll tell you later."

Suddenly they were surrounded by crowds. Some looked friendly, some were obviously terrified. "Um, guys, I think we had better ring up." Daniel said. They started running and centered themselves on the rings. Teal'C activated the rings. Kelowna disappeared…

… and they found themselves staring into Jaffa.

"Jaffa, KREE," Teal'C bellowed.

#

"Jaffa, Kree," Teal'c bellowed, as soon as they saw who was on the other side of the gate.

Jack winced. "You know they're not paying any attention to you."

They stopped.

"Oh."

And turned, pointing their zats at Jonas.

"Jonas?"

He spread his hands and walked forward.

"Jonas, you said all we had to do was appear on TV."

Jonas ignored him and walked further towards the Jaffa. "I recognize you," he said. "You're Baal's right-hand man. Forget your makeup this morning?" He looked to the left. "And Baal's head bodyguard."

Another man walked in. "Ba'al," Jack spat.

"Colonel Jack O'Neill. And Samantha Carter. And Dr. Jackson. And Teal'C." Ba'al rumbled. "How nice to see you."

"The pleasure is all yours," Sam said.

"I understand you're setting business up on this planet," Jack said.

"Just a little experiment."

"A busted experiment," Jonas said. He pointed up at the tiny security cameras hanging from the gate room ceiling. "A little gift from the Terrans, set to broadcast on all channels on my signal. And the signal has just been sent." He turned to the camera. "People of Langara, this is the Goa'uld, Ba'al. I have brought SG-1, who many of you remember, to testify on my behalf."

Ba'al cocked his head and smiled at the cameras. "Why, you sneaky little bastard."

"Takes one to know one." Jack shook his head. "Wait, were you talking about me or Jonas here?"

Jonas looked at him.

"Jonas, I'm trying to insult Ba'al. How did you get to the gate?"

"He invited me."

Jack looked him up and down. "Really? Um, guy, where were you when Jonas was a part of SG1?"

Ba'al looked Jonas over. "Him? Oh. Oops."

Jonas suddenly had a pistol in his hand. Jack looked at him. "Smooth move. Where'd you learn it?"

Jonas smiled. "Indiana Jones." He looked at Ba'al. "You could kill us, but your cover is up. Leave, now."

"I could think of a few random addresses that you can go to," Jack suggested.

"Never mind."

"Would you be going to Undara, My Lord Ba'al?" Daniel spoke up.

Ba'al stared at him, then dialed the gate. Motioning to his Jaffa, he stepped through.

"Daniel?"

"Jack, that's one of his bases in my universe."

Jack looked thoughtful. "Can you let us know of some more bases before we let you go?

"Of course," Daniel said. "Of course, that doesn't guarantee that they have bases in this universe."

"No, but it's a start." He turned to Jonas. "The TVs?"

"Jack, we're just starting with that technology." He smiled. "While I didn't lie – this was being broadcast – only one household in twenty have any sort of TV."

"But…" Jack gestured to the surrounding room. "I was expecting an interview, a nice studio, a pretty talk-show host…"

Jonas grinned. "Sorry."

"You're enjoying this way too much." Sam smiled.

"I am."

Jack sighed. Teal'C smiled slightly. "Nothing out of you, either," he said to Teal'C. He turned to Sam, who was trying hard not to smile. "Durn Jaffa."

#

The Jaffa hesitated, then dropped their weapons.

"Our Lord Apophis is dead," Jack said.

The Jaffa blinked and looked at each other. "Gods cannot die."

Melburn and Claire Jackson walked into the room. "Then I suggest you watch the video coming up from the planet."

"And when you do, you will see that I have killed Apophis."

Hammond appeared behind the Jacksons. "The ship is secure, and we're getting reports from all over that the Goa'uld are being eliminated."

"But what will we do?" one of the Jaffa said. "How can we live without gods?"

"We shall rule ourselves," Bra'tac said, walking in.

"And there is a chemical compound called tritonin that will enable you to live without the goa'uld symbiote," Daniel said.

Teal'C looked at the Jaffa. "I look forward to living with my family without fear of interference."

A young woman appeared behind Hammond. Daniel stared. "Sha're," he whispered.

She ran forward into his arms. "Dan'yel." She said.

He buried his head into her hair. Claire walked forward. "Her, too?" she said simply.

"Amonet. Killed last year."

"Dan'yel?" Sha're looked up at him.

"I love you," he said, and pushed her towards Claire.

"This isn't our Daniel," she said gently, "but he'll be back soon."

Jack and Sam looked at him.

"Quantum mirror. You got me on that last planet."

"I thought you seemed a bit off," Jack said. "And I've never seen you react like that down on Kelowna."

Daniel shrugged. "Different life."

Melburn walked in. "Hitler, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Mussolini, Napoleon, and Osama Bin Laden are dead. Benjamin Franklin is on the run, but they expect to catch him momentarily." He caught Daniel's bemused expression. "All Tau'ri Goa'uld."

"Yeah, gathered that," Daniel said, hoping his counterpart thought about bringing a history book back. He looked at Melburn. "I hope you guys have a plan to explain the death of the Goa'uld. You realize that not everybody is going to be happy."

"We've got something set in place," Claire said. "In the meantime…"

"I should go back home."

"I wish you could stay."

"I wish I could stay, too." He looked at Sha're, regretfully. He looked away. "In the meantime, could have your history books?"

Melburn held up a crystal. "Will this do?"

Daniel looked at it. "Um… I hope Sam can make something out of that."

"You don't use that technology?"

"Not exactly."

Melburn pulled out a couple of portable hard drives. "Then how about these? This is of Tau'ri design." He smiled. "I even threw a few fiction books on there."

Daniel smiled. "Much better."

#

Daniel looked at the hard drive he was holding, then patted the other two he had in his pocket. "I wish you had crystal technology."

Jack snorted. "Sam wishes we did, too. But she tells me that this holds about half as much as a crystal." He called out of the building. "Right, Carter?"

"What?" she called back.

"Never mind!"

They stared into the mirror. "I don't see anything," Jack said.

"And we won't see anything until they return." He turned to Jack. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For showing me a free Terra."

Jack looked at him. "You're welcome." He saw a movement from the mirror. "I think…"

"They're back." Daniel said. As more people entered the world, he smiled broadly. "And we've succeeded."

"Who are all those people… Shar'e." Jack visibly swallowed. "Are those your parents?"

"Yes."

"Ah, shit." He looked at Daniel. "I mean, I'm happy for you, but…"

"I know. I feel bad about it, too. I wasn't sure they were going to show up."

The mirrored Daniel was looking at Jack. He nodded. Jack nodded back.

Daniel hugged Sha're, then hugged Melburn and Claire. They said something, then the three of them left the cave, and the alternate Jack took position behind Daniel. He nodded to his counterpart, and Jack nodded back.

"I think we're ready," Jack said.

"Yes," Daniel and Daniel said, and they touched the mirror at the same spot.

"Did anything happen?" Jack said. His alternate echoed him.

Daniel pulled out two hard drives. Then the Daniel on Jack's side of the mirror pulled out a crystal, while the other Daniel pulled out a third hard drive. "I'd say I'm back on the right side of the mirror." His voice sounded a little flat.

The mirror Daniel looked at him. "I'm sorry," he mouthed. Daniel shrugged.

"It's all right," Daniel smiled. He switched to sign language. "I got to know my parents."

"And I got to know a free earth," the other Daniel signed back. They waved at each other, and left the cave.

The two Jacks looked each other up and down. "Ja-ack, are you coming?"

They shrugged at each other and left the cave.

"I hate fun-house mirrors," Jack muttered.

End


End file.
